A Leo & Savannah Baby Playmat

There is something so special about sewing for a new baby! Today I am sharing a baby playmat I made using the beautiful Leo & Savannah collection, and a design inspired by two classic quilt blocks: Log Cabin and Bear Paw.

The Design: Log Cabin Meets Bear Paw

I have always loved the structure of a Log Cabin block and the playful movement of a Bear Paw. For this playmat, I combined the two ideas:

• Log Cabin blocks made using a five 5 1/2 starting square as the hearth, offset, and 3 inch strips for the logs (2.5 inches finished)
• Half square triangles arranged to create the Bear Paw elements. To make the maths work, I used three HSTs per side, rather than the traditional two.

Because the log cabin strips finish at 2.5 inches, this project works beautifully with:

• One fat eighth bundle of Leo & Savannah
• One yard of background fabric
• Half a yard of a single fabric for the 24 half square triangles

It is a great way to showcase the full collection while keeping the background calm and cohesive.

Why a Playmat Instead of a Quilt?

Rather than making a traditional baby quilt, I decided to turn this into a floor playmat.

With little kids, we spent so much time on the floor, reading, playing and practising tummy time. I wanted this piece to be:

• Soft and cushioned
• Stable on the floor
• Not too drapey like a blanket

To achieve that, I used a very puffy wadding, as you can see from the photos: Vlieseline P145. This wadding has quite high loft and lots of structure, which makes it ideal for a playmat. It stitched beautifully on my longarm. I did not need to adjust the tension or hopping foot height at all, which is always a bonus. The finished mat feels soft and protective, but still smooth enough for quilting detail to shine through.

Because of the loft, I would not recommend this as a cot quilt or blanket. It is designed specifically for supervised floor play.

The Fabrics

Leo & Savannah has such a gentle, balanced palette. It feels warm without leaning too heavily in any one direction, which makes it perfect for a gender neutral baby gift.

For the backing, I chose Honey Dainty Daisy Basic. It is such a happy shade.

Together, the palette and backing make this playmat feel timeless and versatile. It would suit any nursery and makes a thoughtful handmade gift.